2024; The Year My Fandom Almost Peaked

By: Garret Kryzanowski

For anyone who doesn't know me personally, 2024 was almost the greatest year I could have possibly had as a fan...until it wasn't.

On January 8, 2024 as the Michigan Wolverines dismantled the Washington Huskies in the National Championship game 34-13 a thought occured in my head, "I could peak as a fan this year". For context, at that point my second favourite team, the Michigan Wolverines had won a national title; while my all time, without a doubt favourite team, the Baltimore Ravens had locked up the number one seed in the AFC playoffs.

Fast forward twenty days and the dream of reaching peak fandom was at an all time high. The Baltimore Ravens were hosting the AFC Championship against the shorthanded and defending champion Kansas City Chiefs. Even though you never "bet" against Patrick Mahomes, as a Ravens fan my confidence had never been higher. We had a Triple Crown winning defence, the likely MVP in Lamar Jackson and legitimate weapons on offence. All that while playing at home gave me not only confidence but the most dangerous thing a football fanatic such as myself could have, hope.

I have learned that hope is the achilles heel to my usual calm demeanor. I say this because I became absolutely unhinged watching this game. I mean it was embarrassing how I just folded to any and all anger watching the Ravens try to throw the game away. Then as if it couldn't get any worse I had to listen to Tony Romo, the biggest choke artist in playoff history, state the obvious over and over. It was an all time low moment for me as a fan. The worst part about this is the game was far from over.

But it was. As I watched I realized why you never "bet" against Patrick Mahomes. His teams always find ways to win and his team did. They forced two turnovers late and with some help from the refs they iced the game. Now, I am not saying the refs are the reason that Ravens lost because I truly hate that fandom cliche. However, there were a couple missed calls that could have maybe changed the game's outcome but a fumble on the one yard line definitely changed the game's outcome. The Ravens inability to do anything or catch any lucky bounces put the final nail in the coffin for them as the Chiefs won 17-10.

When the game ended and I shut the TV off a wave of sadness washed over me, replacing the anger. This feeling was slightly different then the past years when the Ravens had been eliminated from the playoffs. It was more than the Ravens being sent home. It was the hope, the dream of peaking as a fan being dashed before my eyes.

I will never get that close again to peaking as a fan because my two favourite teams will never be that good at the same time ever again. The Michigan Wolverines won't be as close to winning another national title for at least a few years. Their head coach, Jim Harbaugh, just left to coach for the Los Angeles Chargers and while their new head coach Sherrone Moore is a great fit the competition is only going to get harder. The BIG 10 has new additions in Oregon, Washington, UCLA and USC. The College Football PLayoff is expanding to 12 teams leaving more room for upsets and other teams to catch them on a bad day. Now, I'm not saying they won't ever but Michigan has three national championships since 1943. It is hard to win in college football and having a tougher conference only makes it harder and less likely Michigan wins another title anytime soon.

The Ravens should be back in the AFC championship next year and have a bright future as one of the top contenders in the AFC especially with Lamar Jackson at quarterback. The issue with peak fandom is that both teams have to win in the same year. Maybe by the time Michigan wins again the Ravens are rebuilding after the Lamar Jackson era.

Peak fandom is every fans dream. If you're lucky enough to have achieved that in your life, cherish it. For those who like me, have gotten close but never achieved it don't worry because peaking means it will never get better.

I may not have peaked as a fan but I had a wild ride watching my teams play this season. I don't regret a thing, except perhaps the amount of anger I let out watching the game. I am not perfect as a fan and I never will be.

I will also ALWAYS "bet" against Patrick Mahomes when he's playing the Ravens because that is what fans do. They stick by their team no matter what and I always will stand by my team's.

2024 will forever be the year my fandom almost peaked.